I Bet on some things like -70% of the people reading ur article are the ones who do not vote or the kinds “my vote doesnt matter”. Voting day is just another holiday to go out for a day-out or picnic- who cares!
Als, the rural population has been the ones who contribute a lot to vote bank. But sadly, that population wont read such enlightening article nor do they use their brains to choose a right candidate, thus all the so-called “to make nation developed” ideology fails & the dynasty rule continues !!!
I guess – tackling the rural mass & giving them basic education & enlightment is the only solution for India to really reach some point by 2050 AT LEAST !!
Felt as if i’m reading myself!! am sure there r a whole lot out there who wd hv felt th same.
Two suggestions…a)Vote for under 45..irrespective of the choices..at may at least shed part of a rigid ‘historical perspective’. b) Focus on India under 20, use 20-40 for that focus, ‘request’ 40+ to contribute; ‘respect’ over 40; hold this focus for a decade and v wd hv transformed India.
Illustration….I bet the first UID number that may get rolled out in near future is likely to b allocated to President or PM or..blah, blah… It wd be beautifully futuristic if it is given to a NEW BORN…
Need to think and invest in future..
rgds,
ajay
Good analysis………If u r so much concerned about the future of India, what prompted you to waste the time of media in dragging their attention to ur unwanted controversy? After 10 days of 2010, u have woken up and raised the issue of India not being a developed country.
U had been in Hong Kong for the last 11 years…….what idea did u have about happenings in India then?
My well-wishing suggestion to u…..plz study Indian youth first and then say something…….
Chetan, it’s very simple to give free advises after making tonnes of money through stupid controversies….
Do something for young Indians…..only then u r entitled to comment on their progress…..
For example: Conduct IIT-JEE entrance coaching classes free of charge…..Many poor children cannot afford its coaching…..
Hey Chetan, Just to let you know I used to study maths Tuition with you some 20 years ago.
My thoughts,
Growth —- India is growing not because there is an industrial revolution or the efficieny of population is better or innovation. It is growing because people are spending money they do not have,just like in the western economies. But remember that unlike the western countries, Indians cannot afford it. They will not be bailed out by the Chinese, they will have to go straight to the IMF. The financial system creates money as debt and the financial system introduced in India by the foreign banks is having exactly that kind of effect. TCS was founded more than 30 years ago and so was Microsoft and IBM and others and look at the level of innovation that each have introduced. Undercutting is not exactly innovation. They have not come with a single, Skype, Google, Coke, Johnson and Johnson, Gillete nothing. They are simply based on undercutting. Tata buying Jaguar and Land Rover and that steel company at the height of the economic cycle is like “gale par saanp latakna”. People talk about great brains at IIT but Tata still have to go to the UK to design electric cars. And why oh why did they buy, petrol based big cars when the world needs small electric cars.
People talk about the last 20 years. I am talking about the last 2000 years, “Jiski Laathi uski bhais”, “The rich will always be richer”. India has been independent for 63 years, Malaysia has been independent for 47 years, just go out and look at the difference. And I am not even talking about countries like Singapore which transformed themselves in just 15 years after getting independent, as you might argue it has a smaller population.
You are talking about votes and voting but I am saying India is not even fit for democracy. All India needs is a good King, A good King is anyday better than a democracy, especially in country where majority of the population cannot even spell “Democracy”.
If western countries can do it so can India, remember that western countries hag transformed themselves in only about 15 years after the second world war ended, London was literally rebuilt after the War. But I still feel people in India do not have the attitude to making it successful. I do not see every citizen of India having the same standard of living as people in developed countries like Sweden for another 500 years. Engineers like yourself in a Western country can build his/own house, grow own vegetables, clean their own house, repair own car, compete major sports etc etc. The reason why Western Europe was able to rebuild itself in just 15 years after the second world war was because people had that attitude to achieve something big and nice for everybody in the community. That attitude is now lost in Western economies and they now spend more time in the pub and outsource there work in Indian companies and call centre. But once the western population is hit hard like during the second world war then they will start getting out of the pub and working. That is when the indian population won’t be able to compete.
Hi. Just to confirm the Film industry version,I read ur book. It was amazing. The movie is a complete copy barring a few instances of their lives. Anyway the FI never gives credit to writers, my very close friends hv already suffered this torture. Amir is just getting.. can’t get the words. Guess Taare Zameen Par had some showdown also. So it shows who is at fault. He i.e. AK is no more a perfectionist but a.. guess u may hv a better word. The conscience needs to be clear, his is not, but urs is!! So let them go to hell as long as u know wht is right!1 Take care!
Things like this are better said than done. However you have pointed out some good figures and a nice look ahead.
Dialogues on getting united and working together are very old. I am hearing such things since my childhood. Even Mahatma Gandhi failed to unite our country.
Our problem lies with our thinking approach. We have keept ourselves limited to either our community or at the max within our country. We never try to perceive the whole world as a united platform.
The fact says that each and everything happening around us in this world are somehow interlinked with each other. Even if all Indians unite even though we will have threats from terrorists or else global policies.
Thus if we really want a peaceful life then we all human beings will have to work together. Thus we should initiate to tie our relations with all the youth worldwide.
Really liked the way you have presented your thoughts. The article highlights the necessity to vote.. Hope at least people reading the article exercise their vote in the future.
Man,I don’t understand this math.Your 20 million will only make the runner-ups win the election.How’s that going to help.For winning elections you require the no. of votes equal to the winner plus one vote and today you have only that plus one[your vote].
I can suggest some more practical implementable ways to do it.
Use technology.First of all make a central website like-develop India-where all these sparks can come together and discuss things.Moreover that gives all of India a central place and theme to work on.Get media’s help.I am sure they’ll help us in this cause.TOI had some Lead India contest last year.Leaders were selected.I don’t now what happened of them but you can surely get top 100 on board from that list.They needn’t be necessarily physically present.They can be connected by chat etc. on website.
Money you will get.Deduct 100Rs every month from the pay of office goers.If 10 crore people give 100rs a month-it will be 1000 crore a month.More then enough to develop India.I am sure everyone will willingly give it,if they see the results.I don’t know the number of credit card holders in India but it should be huge.Open online money donation gateway on that website like ccAvenue where every credit card,debit card holder,bank account holder can donate money.I am sure you’ll get sufficient money.Get media’s help.
Work on 2 fronts.On one side choose 100 small areas to develop.List them on website.List everything that is going to be done in each of this 100 places.Then the 100 leaders selected can either develop those 100 areas one to one or maybe collectively or in groups.Keep all of India updated of everything happening in each place.Take media’s help if delay due to some govt. approval.Govt. will have no option but to tow in line due to media and people pressure.
On second front these 100 leaders should work on national issues like power,education.
After 6 months take the area number to 200,then more,then more.Keep updating everyone with what money was spent where,how,why delay,everything live-full accountability.
Sure, 20,000,000 can change fate of the country. But which of 1 billion these 20 millions are? Besides, what is extent of moral, ethical, knowledge difference in there in first and second candidates in each of these constituencies even if you actually locate these 20 million votes?
The issue is not these swing votes, but no-shows. It is those 30% educated no-shows that can make difference to the politics. The onus is on those.
I agree with you that India is full of islands of good thing people. And that these islands should come together to form a _critical mass_ required for every movement to be successful.
Nice thought provoking article at the begining of 2010. As it is possible for India to be a Super Power in Excel Sheets with certain assumptions similarly it is possible to change the Govt of country with the help of 20 millions people. I am sorry if I seem to be morbid at the begining of this new decade. Assuming that all these 20 million people unitedly vote in favour of those who are at the second number or in your words the next guys, no doubt they will be able to change the govt. But the million dollor question is wether this 2nd set of leaders will be better than the first in any single way.These 20 million or mere 3 per cent of registered voters or the population of two big metros or the theatrical viewership of a Bollywood blockbuster or a little more than the current penetration of networking sites will change the govt but not with those people who can make any difference in Indian Politics.
I think that 530 is the more managable number than 20 million. First we will have to find a set of 530 leaders who can think beyond beyond caste, religion,state,regions etc. Then we will have to bring them to the status of the next guy only than the magical figure of 20 million people will be able to give reins of power in the hands of these enlightned leaders who then will perform. A more herculean task than India being projected as a Super Power by 2025 or say 2050.
Let us set our priorities right. Will luv to hear your thoughts on this.
hi chetan!
i thought that the article was enlightening but became a bit boring with those figures. i have always liked your article bit i could not complete this one there were many other article in competition, so i jumped to the other article, inspite of my preference for u. had this article come out any other day , i m sure i would have gone through it , but it was sunday and there is so much to read that u need to leave out some. i am an avid fan of yours and wish u all the best.
Do we really need to organize ourselves into a votebank? We, the little sparks spread across the country actually control the system.We are everywhere be it the judiciary, media, bureaucracy or even politics.
The segment of the society which you want to involve is actually already at the center of action. When we feel threatened we come together at once mobilize all these institutions and get things done.
We come together for Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Mattoo, Arushi or Ruchika because they belong to our small group. When policies are made for the upliftment of the other India like the mandal commission, we gang-up and bring health services to a standstill.
I have read many articles about how the urban centers are ignored because they don’t form a vote bank. If we were an ignored lot how did we become urban in the first place. Its a human tendency to play a victim however blessed you might be. I think its only fair for the rural India to have a bigger say in govt formation . This is their only way to put their ignored agendas across we have many.
Very nice article..Inspiring and thought provoking one…Keep writing and keep motivating to keep up the sparks in the youth…
good job chetan..i totally agree with you.Indeed an eye opener article..Keep it up
Im in! 1 out of 20 Million…let’s get started…any ideas? Do we need a website ?
TOO IDEALISTIC.. I AGREE WD PAVAN VENKATAS SOLUTION..INTRODUCTION OF NEW CONCEPT …NEGATIVE VOTING.
BTW HAPPY NEW YEAR CHETAN.
WARM REGARDS
Dr VEDUSHI
Charity begins at home..!!
Hi,
Nice article, Sorry for a late reply.
I Bet on some things like -70% of the people reading ur article are the ones who do not vote or the kinds “my vote doesnt matter”. Voting day is just another holiday to go out for a day-out or picnic- who cares!
Als, the rural population has been the ones who contribute a lot to vote bank. But sadly, that population wont read such enlightening article nor do they use their brains to choose a right candidate, thus all the so-called “to make nation developed” ideology fails & the dynasty rule continues !!!
I guess – tackling the rural mass & giving them basic education & enlightment is the only solution for India to really reach some point by 2050 AT LEAST !!
Felt as if i’m reading myself!! am sure there r a whole lot out there who wd hv felt th same.
Two suggestions…a)Vote for under 45..irrespective of the choices..at may at least shed part of a rigid ‘historical perspective’. b) Focus on India under 20, use 20-40 for that focus, ‘request’ 40+ to contribute; ‘respect’ over 40; hold this focus for a decade and v wd hv transformed India.
Illustration….I bet the first UID number that may get rolled out in near future is likely to b allocated to President or PM or..blah, blah… It wd be beautifully futuristic if it is given to a NEW BORN…
Need to think and invest in future..
rgds,
ajay
hi Chetan sir
Your column was quite nice. It did help to realize the importance of INDIVIDUAL vote.
Hope to read more such articles from you in future.
Chetan,
Good analysis………If u r so much concerned about the future of India, what prompted you to waste the time of media in dragging their attention to ur unwanted controversy? After 10 days of 2010, u have woken up and raised the issue of India not being a developed country.
U had been in Hong Kong for the last 11 years…….what idea did u have about happenings in India then?
My well-wishing suggestion to u…..plz study Indian youth first and then say something…….
Chetan, it’s very simple to give free advises after making tonnes of money through stupid controversies….
Do something for young Indians…..only then u r entitled to comment on their progress…..
For example: Conduct IIT-JEE entrance coaching classes free of charge…..Many poor children cannot afford its coaching…..
And then talk of ‘Vision 2010′…..
Hey Chetan, Just to let you know I used to study maths Tuition with you some 20 years ago.
My thoughts,
Growth —- India is growing not because there is an industrial revolution or the efficieny of population is better or innovation. It is growing because people are spending money they do not have,just like in the western economies. But remember that unlike the western countries, Indians cannot afford it. They will not be bailed out by the Chinese, they will have to go straight to the IMF. The financial system creates money as debt and the financial system introduced in India by the foreign banks is having exactly that kind of effect. TCS was founded more than 30 years ago and so was Microsoft and IBM and others and look at the level of innovation that each have introduced. Undercutting is not exactly innovation. They have not come with a single, Skype, Google, Coke, Johnson and Johnson, Gillete nothing. They are simply based on undercutting. Tata buying Jaguar and Land Rover and that steel company at the height of the economic cycle is like “gale par saanp latakna”. People talk about great brains at IIT but Tata still have to go to the UK to design electric cars. And why oh why did they buy, petrol based big cars when the world needs small electric cars.
People talk about the last 20 years. I am talking about the last 2000 years, “Jiski Laathi uski bhais”, “The rich will always be richer”. India has been independent for 63 years, Malaysia has been independent for 47 years, just go out and look at the difference. And I am not even talking about countries like Singapore which transformed themselves in just 15 years after getting independent, as you might argue it has a smaller population.
You are talking about votes and voting but I am saying India is not even fit for democracy. All India needs is a good King, A good King is anyday better than a democracy, especially in country where majority of the population cannot even spell “Democracy”.
If western countries can do it so can India, remember that western countries hag transformed themselves in only about 15 years after the second world war ended, London was literally rebuilt after the War. But I still feel people in India do not have the attitude to making it successful. I do not see every citizen of India having the same standard of living as people in developed countries like Sweden for another 500 years. Engineers like yourself in a Western country can build his/own house, grow own vegetables, clean their own house, repair own car, compete major sports etc etc. The reason why Western Europe was able to rebuild itself in just 15 years after the second world war was because people had that attitude to achieve something big and nice for everybody in the community. That attitude is now lost in Western economies and they now spend more time in the pub and outsource there work in Indian companies and call centre. But once the western population is hit hard like during the second world war then they will start getting out of the pub and working. That is when the indian population won’t be able to compete.
Hi. Just to confirm the Film industry version,I read ur book. It was amazing. The movie is a complete copy barring a few instances of their lives. Anyway the FI never gives credit to writers, my very close friends hv already suffered this torture. Amir is just getting.. can’t get the words. Guess Taare Zameen Par had some showdown also. So it shows who is at fault. He i.e. AK is no more a perfectionist but a.. guess u may hv a better word. The conscience needs to be clear, his is not, but urs is!! So let them go to hell as long as u know wht is right!1 Take care!
Dear Chetan
Things like this are better said than done. However you have pointed out some good figures and a nice look ahead.
Dialogues on getting united and working together are very old. I am hearing such things since my childhood. Even Mahatma Gandhi failed to unite our country.
Our problem lies with our thinking approach. We have keept ourselves limited to either our community or at the max within our country. We never try to perceive the whole world as a united platform.
The fact says that each and everything happening around us in this world are somehow interlinked with each other. Even if all Indians unite even though we will have threats from terrorists or else global policies.
Thus if we really want a peaceful life then we all human beings will have to work together. Thus we should initiate to tie our relations with all the youth worldwide.
Ankur
i am all smiles for the inclusion of an effective law for “intellectual property rights” as an requirement for being a developed nation. (lol)….
the kind humor in ur books i.e is to see humour in the most serious situation has stuck me probably..
its shows ur still hurt with the series of evens that have happened…
u have all my support…
Really liked the way you have presented your thoughts. The article highlights the necessity to vote.. Hope at least people reading the article exercise their vote in the future.
Man,I don’t understand this math.Your 20 million will only make the runner-ups win the election.How’s that going to help.For winning elections you require the no. of votes equal to the winner plus one vote and today you have only that plus one[your vote].
I can suggest some more practical implementable ways to do it.
Use technology.First of all make a central website like-develop India-where all these sparks can come together and discuss things.Moreover that gives all of India a central place and theme to work on.Get media’s help.I am sure they’ll help us in this cause.TOI had some Lead India contest last year.Leaders were selected.I don’t now what happened of them but you can surely get top 100 on board from that list.They needn’t be necessarily physically present.They can be connected by chat etc. on website.
Money you will get.Deduct 100Rs every month from the pay of office goers.If 10 crore people give 100rs a month-it will be 1000 crore a month.More then enough to develop India.I am sure everyone will willingly give it,if they see the results.I don’t know the number of credit card holders in India but it should be huge.Open online money donation gateway on that website like ccAvenue where every credit card,debit card holder,bank account holder can donate money.I am sure you’ll get sufficient money.Get media’s help.
Work on 2 fronts.On one side choose 100 small areas to develop.List them on website.List everything that is going to be done in each of this 100 places.Then the 100 leaders selected can either develop those 100 areas one to one or maybe collectively or in groups.Keep all of India updated of everything happening in each place.Take media’s help if delay due to some govt. approval.Govt. will have no option but to tow in line due to media and people pressure.
On second front these 100 leaders should work on national issues like power,education.
After 6 months take the area number to 200,then more,then more.Keep updating everyone with what money was spent where,how,why delay,everything live-full accountability.
Sure, 20,000,000 can change fate of the country. But which of 1 billion these 20 millions are? Besides, what is extent of moral, ethical, knowledge difference in there in first and second candidates in each of these constituencies even if you actually locate these 20 million votes?
The issue is not these swing votes, but no-shows. It is those 30% educated no-shows that can make difference to the politics. The onus is on those.
I agree with you that India is full of islands of good thing people. And that these islands should come together to form a _critical mass_ required for every movement to be successful.
i read your book one night at call center, its really awsom,
i suggest you to pls write a book on the dirty politics which is in india.
Dear Chetan,
Nice thought provoking article at the begining of 2010. As it is possible for India to be a Super Power in Excel Sheets with certain assumptions similarly it is possible to change the Govt of country with the help of 20 millions people. I am sorry if I seem to be morbid at the begining of this new decade. Assuming that all these 20 million people unitedly vote in favour of those who are at the second number or in your words the next guys, no doubt they will be able to change the govt. But the million dollor question is wether this 2nd set of leaders will be better than the first in any single way.These 20 million or mere 3 per cent of registered voters or the population of two big metros or the theatrical viewership of a Bollywood blockbuster or a little more than the current penetration of networking sites will change the govt but not with those people who can make any difference in Indian Politics.
I think that 530 is the more managable number than 20 million. First we will have to find a set of 530 leaders who can think beyond beyond caste, religion,state,regions etc. Then we will have to bring them to the status of the next guy only than the magical figure of 20 million people will be able to give reins of power in the hands of these enlightned leaders who then will perform. A more herculean task than India being projected as a Super Power by 2025 or say 2050.
Let us set our priorities right. Will luv to hear your thoughts on this.
Love n regards
Arun Tyagi
hi chetan!
i thought that the article was enlightening but became a bit boring with those figures. i have always liked your article bit i could not complete this one there were many other article in competition, so i jumped to the other article, inspite of my preference for u. had this article come out any other day , i m sure i would have gone through it , but it was sunday and there is so much to read that u need to leave out some. i am an avid fan of yours and wish u all the best.
Do we really need to organize ourselves into a votebank? We, the little sparks spread across the country actually control the system.We are everywhere be it the judiciary, media, bureaucracy or even politics.
The segment of the society which you want to involve is actually already at the center of action. When we feel threatened we come together at once mobilize all these institutions and get things done.
We come together for Jessica Lal, Priyadarshini Mattoo, Arushi or Ruchika because they belong to our small group. When policies are made for the upliftment of the other India like the mandal commission, we gang-up and bring health services to a standstill.
I have read many articles about how the urban centers are ignored because they don’t form a vote bank. If we were an ignored lot how did we become urban in the first place. Its a human tendency to play a victim however blessed you might be. I think its only fair for the rural India to have a bigger say in govt formation . This is their only way to put their ignored agendas across we have many.